Eastern OK State College signs No. 1 player in the country

7/14/2011

The 2012 recruiting class at Eastern Oklahoma State College made headlines Monday, June 27 when the Wilburton college baseball team signed the No. 1 high school player in the country, Dylan Bundy. Bundy joins a Mountaineer signing class that includes three other Major League Baseball Draft choices.

Bundy, of Owasso, had the distinct honor of being the first high school athlete named in the 2011 MLB Draft. The Baltimore Orioles chose the right-handed pitcher as the fourth overall choice of the draft that named over 1,500 players to MLB team rosters.

While Bundy has accepted a scholarship to play at the University of Texas, he would have to wait three years before becoming draft-eligible again if he plays for a Division I team. On the other hand, if contract negotiations do not work out with the Orioles and Bundy decides to play for the Mountaineers, he would be able to re-enter the draft in 2012.

Other Eastern recruits, drafted this year include: Desmond Henry, an outfielder from Centennial HS in Compton, Calif., drafted in the fourth round by the Texas Rangers; Hayden Sharp, a pitcher from Morris HS, drafted in the 18th round by the New York Yankees; and Jake Decker, OKC Broncos (home school team), drafted in the 43rd round by the New York Mets.

The New York Yankees also drafted Eastern sophomore pitcher, Jonathan Gray from Chandler in the 10th round. Gray, who had an ERA of 2.55 as a freshman for the Mountaineers, has yet to sign with the Yankees and may return to Eastern if negotiations do not pan out.

According to Eastern Head Coach and Athletic Director Aric Thomas, Eastern’s recruiting coordinator and assistant coach Craig Price is one of the essential keys to getting such highcaliber players on the Mountaineer roster.

“Craig has done an incredible job at recruiting,” Thomas said. “And over the past seven years our program has been one of the best in the country in moving student-athletes on to the next level.”

Thomas adds that in those seven years, 70 student-athletes have moved on to the professional and four-year school levels. Of those student-athletes, seven players have been drafted and 38 have moved on to the Division I level.

In May, the Mountaineers earned the second of back-to-back Region 2 Junior College Baseball Championship Titles, finishing the 2011 season with a 37-20 record. For more information on Mountaineer baseball, or any of Eastern’s programs, visit the Web site at www.eosc.edu.